Spain, Sweet Spain!

Spain, Sweet Spain!

We have had a gathering storm in Spain as the government has seen its reserves depleted. One response was to press the police into going after the softest target of all, the motorist, as a source of funds to pay salaries, etc. I have long complained about the act of bringing into disrepute the officer of the law by insisting that he act as a revenue officer, rather than the enforcer of the law.

Suddenly we found ourselves under strict inspection by large groups of police who seemed to be intent on fining us for any infringement at all, even down to the state of our tyres. I agree that it is important to drive on tyres that are in good condition, but I had never heard of police checks to inspect the tyres. Fines were threatened of up to 200 euros for each deficient tyre, so things could get very serious.

In days of old it was the highwaymen who stopped the passersby and demanded: “Who goes there? Hand over your purse!” Now, city hall has the police doing that. It was all being driven by the fact that we are in financial crisis, and that has led the government to look for ways to reduce spending. That makes sense, of course, so the government decided to cut the salaries of public workers and parliamentarians. Seems they forgot that the police are public workers too, and they are not pleased to have their salaries cut by 5%.

Drivers are somewhat amazed to be stopped by the police and informed of their offence and told what the fine is, then told to continue on their way without having to pay the fine. Apparently one senior officer said that some days they have not actually fined anyone. The situation looks to get worse. Naturally, that just suits the public, but we will soon slide into anarchy, and then it won’t seem so fine.

Meanwhile, Formula 1 rolls on, regardless of everyone’s financial worries, and in spite of the World Cup Soccer competition that will have a lot of Formula 1 spectators glued to their televisions watching football. Some admission tickets will sell at 2,800 euros each for the VIP Paddock Club section in the Valencia street circuit. Who is still making that kind of money that they can splash out on such extravagance? It must be nice work if you can get it.

If all you want to do is watch cars that are driven too fast, stand alongside the side of the A-7 any day of the week and catch the show.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

New Valencian Traffic Laws

More New Valencian Traffic Laws

I’m certain that the Valencian government’s strategy is to keep us confused by ever changing rules and laws, and to fine us when we are out of step or just plain all mixed up. I hate to use this example, but in days of yore it was the highway man who cried out “halt! Give me your money and your valuables.” These days the police are the ones who are undertaking this activity: To make maters worse the likely fine to be suffered has risen to a minimum of 100 euros for minor offences, and to 200 euros for more serious breaches. If you commit a very serious offence indeed the minimum fine will be 500 euros.

When we add all that bad news to the increase in the iva tax, and the reduction is wages for many workers, or no wages for many, many more people the stage is set to make people very angry indeed. That may be why someone has prevailed and added that when a driver is fined he can receive a discount of 50% if he pays the fine within 20 days.

Make no mistake about it, the crisis is hitting City Hall very hard. Lately the Guardia presence on the street is amazing. I didn’t realise there were so many officers in the force, and they are taking very close note to our driving habits. Things that have simply been allowed to pass in the pass are now receiving close examination, such as the maximum speed for coming off the autovia or autopista, and the maximum speeds when passing through road works areas.

If you ride a pedal cycle at night without a front light you will be fined. If you park in a blue zone parking area with a ticket that has not run out of time your car will be towed away. At the impound centre you will have to pay the towing charge, and as was my experience, I was also charged the parking fine, only to receive a ticket for the fine again. Because I could not find my receipt I had to pay the fine again. How likely was that to have been a coincidence?

The Minister for the Interior assures us that the government does not fine people for pleasure. I believe him. A traffic fine is supposed to be like the tuition charge to learn a lesson that you will not wish to repeat. It’s all part of the safety process, and we are learning something about driving, judging by the falling death toll. In 2009 1,897 people lost their live unnecessarily. In some year gone by the toll was over 7,000, so you could say that things are getting better. However, the nitpicking that is going on seems to have more to do with bring in revenue from the motoring public, always a soft target, than to do with real police work.

If you do not wish to cooperate than you can drive as though the car behind you or in front of you is an unmarked police car. You can expect to find them parked around the next bend, over the crest of the next hill, and the radar is always pointed at you. They are in the sky, and they are watching us via their cameras. Be good!

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

Believe it or Not!

Believe it or Not-Souped up Wheelchairs


Some drivers recently got the shock of their lives when an elderly, one-armed, no-legged man in a wheelchair overtook them on the main carriageway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on the 28th May, 2010. His actual speed was not known but estimates put it at more than 80 kph. The man had taken the idea of an electric powered wheelchair and substituted a gasoline-powered motor on to it, and had souped that up so that it would propel him along at very fast speeds. He had made it a three-wheeler with handlebars to control the direction and bicycle-type brakes. The acceleration was provided by the same type of mechanism as a motorcycle.

He was stopped and charged by police for driving a motorized vehicle of an unknown type without permission. He said that he only wanted to try out his new invention.

This is what can happen when you are badly disabled and confined to your wheelchair all hours of the day. You become bored out of your mind and sometimes you might be tempted to engage in suicidal activities.

I tried to look up this particular man’s adventures on line, and to my absolute amazement I found that he is not the only person to tinker with his wheelchair. A guy named Jeff has got his electric chair to get up to 30 mph. He was giving a demonstration on the very quiet street where he lived in the suburbs, but didn’t stop at the stop sign.

On December 4, 2007, a 54 year-old man was fined $618 for violating the speed limit twice in his wheelchair by travelling at 41 mph. Police confiscated his wheelchair.

In Brighton, England, on April 4, 1952 a man was fined for speeding at 41 mph. His fine was One Pound. The police said that they had been getting too many complaints about speeding invalid chairs. After all, the speed limit in those days for wheelchairs was 20mph. That's right. Twenty miles per hour!

England actually has laws on its books to cover such transport. Wheelchairs are Class III vehicles, and the speed limit these days for them on public highways is 8 mph, and 4 mph on footpaths.

It should not come as a surprise to learn that wheelchairs are adapted to meet all sorts of challenges for the handicapped. In the USA the Federal Drug and Administration have approved wheelchairs that can traverse steps, both up and down, and even to lift the occupant into a standing position. The machine is called the iBot and costs about $30,000.

Then there are those people with spirit who, upon finding themselves sentenced to a life in a wheelchair, find the courage to have a life as normal as possible. Such people might be veterans of war, who could spend their days feeling sorry for themselves, but instead take on the challenge with gusto.

We see them engaging in very rough contact sports, such as basketball where they wheel around the court and slam into one another; or they engage in straight races. They drive their specially adapted cars, and they shop on their own, and they keep house and maintain personal relationships.

I will not say that I salute such people because I cannot say that there is a right way or a wrong way to deal with one’s own disability. To each his own; however, if it works for you then all well and good.

There is one class of mobility wheelchair user who needs to be mentioned, and that is the person who has a very heavy chip on their shoulder. They are likely to slam into pedestrians standing in their way, inflicting serious pain upon the ankles of the unwary with the footplates, in a fit of jealously because the pedestrian has two good legs and feet and didn’t get out of the way.

There is no pain and suffering that you can put such a person through that could possibly be worse than what they are already suffering. If there is such a person anywhere in your proximity be sure to give them a very wide berth, keep a close eye on them and give them a lot of respect, and love, if you can.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

Being Different

Being Different --Driving on the Left

Within Europe, Britain is the odd man out. And that country is doggedly determined to remain an island unto itself. Particularly in two areas its difference with the Continent is extreme. Driving on the left presents an unnecessarily dangerous difference, and Britain drags its colonies or former colonies into the same situation. People lose their lives over the confusion this creates, but the authorities seem to have their heads up their collective Asses over this.

The other thing is the fact that Britain retains the Pound as its currency while all of Europe uses the single currency Euro. When the Euro was launched I heard a story that Britain decided against joining in the move as it expected that the euro would collapse in the fullness of time. That may yet turn out to be the truth. But getting back to this business of driving on the left, while almost the entire rest of the world drives on the right it something that simply must be addressed.

Taking a stiff upper lip while insisting, “We British are Different” is simply not good enough, especially when some British drivers go to America or come to the Continent and drive straight into oncoming traffic.

Is it even possible to change at this point in time? I suggest that it is, as it has been done elsewhere. I grant that for some time British drivers would have to be tremendously careful. Also, the legacy of right-hand drive vehicles would take a long time to phase out, especially given the fact that many British owners keep their cars forever.

What a shame things were not uniformed at the start. To have the situation having carried on until the mess we are in today is a great shame. However, I do not really expect to see such a change. It was enough of a challenge to get the British to change over weights and measures. That is still not complete; as is the fact that here in Spain we are still pricing things in Pesetas.

We humans are such creatures of habit!

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

The Masturbator

Where is his other Hand?

I agree that this is a shocking title for a column, but it is justified. A man was discovered to be masturbating while driving his van around Valencia city during daylight hours. Well, now we know what to credit driving customs to in Valencia, and probably throughout all of Spain.We are not surprised because it seems that we (men) are all a bunch of wankers at the wheel.

I feel like being funny about this, or at least sarcastic, because driving skills and attention to safety on our roads are in short supply. It’s true to say that conditions have been improving a great deal, especially judging by the falling death rates. That is reason for pride, but the idiots are still with us. There is no lane discipline; most people seem to think that signalling is illegal, and very few people seem to have a clear idea of what they are doing on roundabouts.

Add to all of that is the fact that so many people insist on driving while drunk. There is also the cowboys who think nothing of cutting off three or more lines of traffic to go off to the right or left, or they overtake the cars in front only to exit the highway having caused everyone to brake.

So it should not be much of a surprise that one of the wankers has been booked for driving while failing to pay due care and attention.

However, it would be hypocritical of the public at large to laugh at this dopey guy from a sense of superiority, as though we would never do anything like that. The fact is that as young drivers we have got up to all sorts of things while driving. We also got up to even more things while parked. That’s all a part of our love affair with (and in) our cars. However, it’s a very poor sap who gets caught playing with himself while driving through the city during daylight hours.

I can only assume that there was a bet in place. Nobody would be that stupid without money involved.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

More Driving Misery

Just what we need: More Driving Misery

As we all know by now the police have their marching orders to hand out denuncias (tickets) in greater volume in order to bring in money for the town treasury. This they should do by all means (legally, I hope) possible.

The one weakness of all who drive on Spanish roads is to take heed of those speed signs that require us to reduce our speeds. I am willing to bet that if there are two drivers in all of Spain who follow these instructions to the letter, then they are the only two, and that they are seen as a real nuisances. In fact, the way that traffic signs are set out, in most cases they are not even intended to be adhered to exactly. The driver would have to practically stand on the brakes in order to slow as rapidly as required.

However, be warned! Especially in road work zones, hidden radar machines are being employed to record speeds, and the problem here is that generally speaking if your speed is 50% greater than the speed indicated the fine will be at least 200 euros, plus points lost from your driving permit.

The lower numbers are the most difficult ones, because if the speed mandated is 40 and you are travelling at 61, your offence is grave, and worse still when the limit is 20 and you are travelling at 41.

We will have to learn driving discipline like stopping and remaining stationary for a red light even though there is no-one crossing the street. I hope you will take this as fair warning and be aware.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

Your Car Personality

Show me your car and I will show you your Car Personality

The car or motorbike that we buy reflects our personality as much as the clothes we wear. I have often considered this, but little did I know that great studies have been done to determine who buys what type and make and colour of motorised transport. You and I are completely unaware of the knowledge that the car salesman already has about us before we walk into the showroom. Today I would like to focus solely on colours:

CarInsurance.com reports in their article, “What your car says about your personality” that the choice of colour of your car broadcasts your personality very loudly, whether you realise it or not. My favourite colour is blue, a calming colour, and when it’s properties are described it reflects who I am perfectly. I am someone who likes to think I am a steady person ;who thinks things through before acting. I’m an accountant, so I am supposed to be a blue person. However, having had the option of buying a blue car I decided against it because blue is not who I am as a driver.

I chose instead a Burgundy colour for my Volvo 850. Good Heavens! Burgundy? It doesn’t even show up on the list of car colours. For my second car, a Jaguar XK Sovereign my choice colour is black. That is very interesting, because it suggests that I am an aggressive, possibly dangerous driver, (I'm definitely not!) and a great and competent conductor. A shiny black car with tinted windows also suggests menacing power and mystery.

Perhaps you’ve noticed that secret government agencies are always depicted as driving large black shiny 4x4 vehicles. They are definitely trying to tell us something. But, black is good to give an impression of seriousness.

I once hired a rental car that was small and bright yellow. I had so much fun with that. It really did something for my driving mood. I felt like I was driving around in a yellow canary and I almost felt like singing. Supposedly people who would deliberately buy this colour are generally happy individuals with a light attitude towards life. I say more power to them.

Silver is a curious colour on a car. It seemed the world suddenly went wild for silver, and some of the drivers are said to be somewhat snooty. However, in my view that colour only works if it is highly polished. In that state I am drawn towards it and I give the driver credit for being cool, but, when the shine dulls and it becomes scratched, dented and dirty there is nothing worse.

British Racing Green as a colour does work for me, but not on every make of car. A long while ago I owned a green Jaguar XK120 convertible that I was so very proud of. It was a lovely classic car that I was never sure whether it was the colour or the car that gave me the greatest pleasure. Recently I owned a Chrysler Voyager seven-seater mini-van that had tinted windows. The problem was that I had to keep it clean and shiny because it was in the league of a black car of similar design.

It was such a good-looking car some cretin stole it and set it ablaze. I suppose jealousy had something to do with that.

There are lots of other colours, some of which are shades like pink (for a girl), cream, orange, etc, but two colours stand out and grab for the attention. One is white, which works really well on a large Rolls Royce or Bentley. When we see one of those coming our way it usually suggests someone of wealth and importance, such as a rock star or captain of industry. This is a Statement Car that announces the owner as a person not to be ignored. The Pope drives around in his white PopeMobile I suppose to display a sign of purity and cleanliness, but that would not necessarily be true of all owners of white cars.

The other colour is bright Candy Red. The colour of Ferreri says it all. This tells us that this is flash, hot, very fast, very powerful, and very, very expensive. If you have to ask “How Much?” then you simply are not in the league to own one.

The most rare colour on the street is brown. If you think brown, you should be thinking UPS. Who would drive a brown car? Ithink I would want to follow such a person around to observe what kind of personality would want a brown car. They would probably want a brown Lada.

My Goodness Gracious Me!

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

More Driving Pleasure

Driving like this is truly a Pleasure

I wrote of my lament that driving these days is such a utilitarian thing and a real burden There is ever more traffic with which to cope and hassles galore. Now the police are under orders to stop and fine drivers for every little infraction in the interest of bringing money into the government’s coffers. Whenever I take public transport I get to relax because someone else is doing the driving and the focus shifts away from me.

It occurred to me that driving the Highlands of Scotland and through parts of Ireland’s green valleys and hills would bring back some of the pleasure, and I’m sure that would be so. However, Spain has much of its old road network still intact, and what’s more it exist all around me. I just ignore that network because normally I’m in much too much of a hurry to detour off the smooth new ribbons of highway, but I did just that a week after posting my previous blog on this topic. What I discovered was actual driving delight.

The route took me through the back-country where in parts no buildings stood at all. Not even farming was in evidence. Except for the roads there was no suggestion that man had ever set foot on the land. To be able to see nature in such unspoiled and virgin conditions today was a real treat. To make the discovery even more astonishing, all of this is within 50 kilometres of where I live.

The roads are very narrow and winding, but I had to reflect that these were Spain’s original roads and there would have been a time when that road would have been a busy hive of activity. In days gone by everyone drove a Seat 600 type car, a car almost small enough to fit in my luggage compartment. I was deathly afraid of meeting an oncoming vehicle. There was not enough room for us to pass, so it could have been interesting.

Roads like these are there to be enjoyed as a throwback to the days of old, but extra special care should be taken. Unfortunately I don’t trust the average driver to take such care and caution and to exercise appropriate patience, so it’s probably not a good idea for large numbers of people to pass along on these roads.

For me, it was a very pleasant diversion from the mundane and to be able to do the route on such a brilliant day was wonderful. All the while that I was doing that there were many thousands of people trapped in airports unable to move forward nor backward.

What a crazy world we live in!

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

Driving Pleasure

Driving pleasure with very few fellow Travellers

I am probably like most people who drive, in that my driving is entirely utilitarian. I drive to get to the shops or to the city for various business reasons. My route covers the same roads every day and there is nothing new under the sun. I have to cope with the same traffic situations, and in some cases the same traffic. We know each other and expect to pass along the same stretch. Driving is a dull task.

I was watching a travelogue that took us through the highlands of Scotland. I admit that I was far more comfortable watching from my television than actually being there, because it evidently was very cold. What intrigued me was the discovery that driving along a road that had very little other traffic on it held for the driver.

The Scottish Highlands is not for the faint of heart. Firstly, take lots of clothes to bundle yourself in, otherwise you will need to be a very hearty person. There are few of us who are sufficiently tough to survive in that climate. To add to the cold the wind will give you a severe lashing, and the North Sea beats down upon the shores unmercilessly, creating a scene of great wonder and beauty.

There are the mountain passes and valleys, the coastal drives and the small towns. There are houses that sit all alone amid the empty waste that leaves the observer wondering why would someone have built a house in such a remote place? What must life be like for the people who live there?

Such places exists in my mind solely for the purpose of being visited. To get there we first make certain that the car is totally roadworthy before setting out, and we carry extra fuel. Then we are ready to go for a drive.

Should we take a camera? Frankly, I think that pictures can only do so much to tell the story. This is one of those things that each person has to experience for himself, particularly because getting there is really most of the fun.

I have this as one of my “Must Do” things before I turn in my driving license for good.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

Driving in Marrakech

Driving and Dodging in Marrakech

I begin by saying how much I appreciate driving in Spain. I have spent a long time throwing barbs at our driving habits, but when you sometimes compare with another country you can rightly feel that things here are not so bad after all.

We recently visited Marrakech, and the bottom line is that we had a wonderful time. The people were very hospitable, in spite of the fact that so many live in dirt and abject poverty. The one thing that broke my heart was the number of elderly women who have nothing and daily go hungry. I quite naturally felt I should have given them money, but they are so numerous, the problem is overwhelming.

I want to focus a little on driving habits and street life. Within the city, so far as I could see there seems to be very few rules. For instance, one day we had to wait to be picked up for a sightseeing trip. The place at which we were standing was a plaza with a roundabout and a central island. Driving is on the right, so one expects traffic to circulate around the roundabout in a counter-clockwise direction. Not so! Traffic entering from our right that wanted to go left simply ignored the centre island and turned left meeting traffic coming from the left head-on. There was much horn blowing and dodging and weaving, but it all worked somehow.

There are the usual traffic signals, like stop, that most people tend to ignore. Hardly anyone wears seatbelts or helmets, and the motorcycle serves as a motor taxi for the whole family. When we add to this mix the fact that a thick layer of dust covers everything, and trash is ever present, combined with the crumbling state of most buildings and people congestion, the mind boggles and the eyes cannot take it all in.

Having said all that, the attitude of travellers is one of calm and tolerance. I never saw one example of road rage, or even discourtesy. It cannot be said that drivers are reckless, although as first sight it certainly seems that way. Were they actually so there would be a thousand crashes a minute. I didn’t witness even one accident of any consequence.

Driving in the countryside is another matter. The police are everywhere with their radar traps that are over-used. It seemed to me that the police are especially interested in vehicles with foreign plates or rental cars. In Cameroon, I observed that the police were worse than bandits as they spent their time in extracting “fines” on the spot from drivers. Someone suggested that is how they earn their living as the State rarely pays them.

I probably won’t go back to Marrakech because we have seen the sights, but for someone who has never been it can be a fun place to visit. It certainly is an eye-opener.

On our last day we passed a business that displayed the following sign: “Would you like to rent a Car?” My response was, “Are you Nuts?”

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

Where did the Time Go?

Time flies and your children leave in your car.

The event is so fresh in my mind that it could have been only yesterday when I stood in the delivery room and watched my son enter this world. I think my heart may have stopped for a beat and I definitely forgot to breathe when he arrived almost like an angel.

I whole heartily recommend to every father that he be there to greet his new-born because it certainly is the beginning of a bond. We have been there with our son every step of the way and the memories we have are truly very fond. I think back on the time of his first clear word, and his first step. There were all the milestones through which we travelled, things that were familiar to us adults, but through which we saw again with his new eyes.

His first day at school when he stood in the doorway of The Montessori Academy and saluted us without the slightest hesitation; the time that he stood on stage and recited his prepared work with calm and assurance; his first piano piece before a mixed audience; the first time I let go of the cycle and he stayed upright.

We came here to Spain and within six months he was speaking fluently in Spanish. I know this because I came upon he and his friend, Julian, and they were engaged in a passionate argument. He was giving as good as he received, which was a pretty good indicator that he was settling in really well.

Fortunately his Mom took up employment at the same school that he attended, so everyday he was driven in the family car to school. From this point time seems to have moved quickly, and before we could hardly have time to realize what was happening he had graduated from secondary, and was off to Australia for a gap year experience. He had his driving license in hand, and now that he is back, he sometimes drives his mother to school, and then he drives off to go about his business. This one aspect is more descriptive of how things have changed. For every family who has this experience I’m fairly sure they are as gobsmacked as we are.

So, where did the time go? While I shrink in height and size he continues to grow. With a full head of hair he seems to be about two metres tall and I have to look up to him. This is about as good as it gets, and we have so much to be thankful for as our boy has grown into a really wonderful man.

To place the icing on this, he is also a very good driver, and that is one more thing to make me proud of him.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

Jeremy Clarkson

Jeremy Clarkson : A very interesting man.

Jeremy Clarkson has made a very strange career of trashing manufacturer’s cars. I don’t know how he does it, but he has made a lot of money in making fun of just about every brand of car ever made. Why don’t the car manufacturers sue him? I don’t know. If I were to try and follow in his footsteps would they sue me? Yes! Most definitely!

He is a very controversial person. His views and opinions on just about everything seem to be designed to stir things up. People have organised “We hate Jeremy Clarkson” campaigns, but the one thing that hasn’t happened as yet is that he has been ignored. Love him or hate him, we just don’t want to ignore him. For instance, his television series “Top Gear” is a silly piece of TV fluff. Why then do I look forward to watching it? I don’t know the answer to that.

I personally can’t say that I agree with him in everything that he says. In fact, I’m not sure that I agree with him in anything at all, but the manner in which he writes is pure poetry. He once said that a certain young man would rather eat his knees than drive a Ford. Very expressive indeed!

There was a time when I bought The Sunday Times newspaper for the principle reason of his column, and I admit that it was he who inspired me to write “From the Driver’s Seat.” Recently, in considering my style I lamented the fact that I was still light years away from the brilliance of his copy, so I have given up trying to emulate him and I have decided to just do my own thing.

So, continued good luck Jeremy, and if we ever meet in person, it will have to be by accident.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

Outrage !!!

Outrageous Behaviour

Matthew Pritchard, writing in the Costa Blanca News column “Spanish Insight”, highlighted the good news of declining road traffic deaths, something I have also done in this blog. One of the reasons that the death toll has been so high is that of driving while drunk.

I came to Spain ten years ago and the first thing I noted was the attitude to alcohol. I noticed people having a brandy with their morning coffee, then a full litre of beer with the mid-morning bocadillo, followed by a bottle of wine with the menu del dia. In between, stops were made for a café cortardo con whiskey, and perhaps more wine at night. In other words people were constantly under the influence of drink.

Small wonder that at that time more than 3,000 lives were lost unnecessarily on the roads. Someone said that if the day ever came when that attitude to drink were to change, that Spain would no longer be Spain. Perhaps! But enough is definitely enough!

Matthew Pritchard wrote of just how ingrained the problem is in pointing out the culpabilities of several government ministers, or committee members sitting on boards concerning themselves with road safety and the prevention of accidents. Some have been booked for driving two or three times over the legal limit, including while driving their official government cars. Just as outrageous is what happens when these people are caught. There is an absence of true contrition. Caught in a position of that magnitude I think the decent thing would be to completely step down from the position of trust that is held in the government, but no, the usual thing is for the guilty to seek support from those in power.

Added to that there will be those who give them their support because they think the offence is something minor. Well, I can only hope that such people learn their lesson the hard way.

In 2009 the death toll fell below 2,000 persons for the first time in recorded history. This now means that suicides exceed death on the road as a major cause of death in Spain. Add to that that many of the deaths on the roads are suicides and that changes things again.

However, it seems that the country has a very long way to go if we cannot even rely upon those in government to provide the good example that is required. Here’s where I have to say that for me, when there is even a possibility that I may have to drive I simply do not take anything that may impair my driving ability and judgement.

Does that make me a better person than the guilty people in government? Actually, I think it does!

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

Toyota’s Troubles

No Complaints

The first thing that we must acknowledge is that the modern car is a computer-on-wheels. One of the reasons that Volkswagon had so much success with it’s “Beetle” was that it was a simple machine that got the driver from point A to point B without too many things that could go wrong.
Now we all drive computers, and the annoying thing about computers is that they have a tendency to “crash” every now and again. Relate that to cars and the crashes can take lives. Toyota has some big problems to deal with, and these must be especially painful for the brand that enjoyed top ratings for so many years. The thing to bear in mind is that these are simply machines and as such, there is no such thing as perfection.

I drive a Volvo, a brand name that stands proud on a reputation of safety. However, as the years roll by unexpected problems can occur. In my case my car would simply shut down without warning. After about two minutes I turned the key and it started up again and sometimes would run just fine for months. Volvo engineers determined that the most likely cause was probably the major fuses malfunctioning. We changed those and the problem has not resurfaced.

I also drove a Chrysler Voyager seven seater mini-van before that and suffered through the same effect, only that was laid at the feet of the computer motherboard that was shutting down the system. We changed that and the problem went away.

When a customer brings in his car with a tale of these types of problems, I believe it is incumbent on the dealer/garage to take the matter seriously and detain that car until a solution is found. Perhaps they could provide the driver with another car on loan while they confer with the brand network to find the answer. Toyota seems not to have done this for a long time, and I shudder to think what some consequences might have been.

Unintended acceleration seems to be the major problem that Toyota is facing, but apparently Ford and GM seem to be battling similar concerns.

I was a regular follower of the CBS program “60 Minutes” for many years. On Sunday November 23, 1986, Ed. Bradley presented a segment entitled “Out of Control” following the unfortunate death of a six year-old boy who was crushed to death because his mother said her car suddenly accelerated. That car was an Audi 5000 and the report was so damming that it nearly drove Audi into bankruptcy. (Allegedly there was a police report where the mother said her foot slipped onto the accelerator and the car shot forward, but this was not contained in the CBS report.) The program has since been criticized for not being strictly objective and I wonder whether Audi still suffers from its sting. It was the first thing that came to my mind when I heard of Toyota’s troubles.

We all like to show off all the bells and whistles of our latest acquisition, but they can come at too high a price if your car is simply laden with too much technology that can go horribly wrong in the fullness of time.

One last thought about cars that take on a mind of their own: Didn’t Stephen King have a car like this that he called “Christine?”

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

Speed Limit 140 ???

The Perfect Highway Speed

Law makers in Spain are currently thinking about increasing the maximum speed limit on Auto-vias and Auto pistas to 140 kph. I am absolutely appalled that this is even a suggestion, let alone a serious consideration. The country has reason to rejoice at the falling death rate on the highway, which can only be the credit of drivers slowing down and taking greater care. Then the government come along with this crazy scheme to increase the speed limit.

A lot of people have been taking the liberty of driving at 140 when they should have been content with 120. If the government make the speed limit 140, can we expect that people will drive at 160? Of course we can! The death toll in 2009 was 1,897, the first time that it had been less than 2,000 people. Am I missing something here? Is the government so concerned about over crowding on the streets that they rely on a certain number of people to actually die on the roads.

The logic seems to run contrary to normal and rational thinking. Why do we need to drive at 140 kph? We can always arise a little earlier from our beds and leave home a little earlier to make it to work on time. We can better organise our day to allow travelling time. We don’t have to make up time on the highway. Simply put, we don’t have to drive that fast. Drivers have been slowing down and that has resulted in fewer deaths on the road. I really hope that common sense will prevail and that this senseless idea be defeated in the legislature.

The best highway speed both for fuel efficiency and control is 90 kph. Every ten kilometres above that control decreases by a quatum jump, as does fuel consumption due to more wind pressure generated against the vehicle. I say "it ain't broke so stop trying to fix it!"

My conclusion as to the intent of the suggested new legislation is that the government must actually want us to kill ourselves on the highways of Spain. Everything else that they say and do seems to be just politics.

The question now is whether we drivers will take the bait? Personally I rarely drive at 120 kph.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

TOWED II

THE PAIN OF BEING TOWED

In my previous column entitled “Towed” I described what happened when we doubled-parked our car on 26th November, 2009. We were trying to attend an appointment and we could not find anywhere to park, so we did what many other drivers did and made a second line and left our handbrake in the off position. Some cars were left with their emergency lights blinking, which I always think simply draws attention to the offence that you are committing.

When our appointment was over we returned to where we left the car and it had been towed away. We took a taxi to the impound centre and paid 139.44 euros to retrieve it. The receipt said that sum was comprised of 91 euros for the fine and 48.44 for the towing fee. With this type of receipt I think it’s important to maintain it in a safe place, just in case there’s a question later.

Later arrived in February when we received a summons for the “unpaid” fine. I decided I would simply take the receipt and show that we had indeed paid the fine. The problem is that I’m still trying to find the safe place that I placed the receipt in and time has run out. Unable to prove my point I have had to pay the fine again, although they gave me a discount.

What’s the chances that happened naturally? Firstly, if the towing fee really is 139.44 euros, that would be absolutely outrageous, but the lady at the government office was adamant that was only the fee for the towing. However, why would the impound centre release my car without having me pay the complete charge? It is possible as the impound centre does not issue the denuncia, so perhaps I should have been charged only the towing fee of 48.44.in the first place.

There is a story here with a bad smell and it needs to be looked into. The mere fact that I have paid twice for the same charge is criminal in itself. Unfortunately my prime exhibit is missing for the time being so I am unable to move forward, but I suggest that anyone who finds themselves in a position of having their car towed should save their receipt. It may become very important evidence later.

Also, this whole experience is making me think twice about doing as the Spanish do. I think I need to be less cavalier about where and whether I abandon my car. It gets a little expensive.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

A Warning

Beware!

These are very desperate financial times, and that is apparently leading some people to take desperate action to get their hands on money. James Foxall, Car Contributor to MSN writes that the percentage of fraudulent claims that insurers are receiving have increased by over 70%. He noted specifically ten forms of claims, some of which involve innocent other drivers. There are some things that we can do so as not to cooperate with the scam artists, but fundamentally, to be forewarned is to be forearmed.

Principally, the things that we can do is to drive carefully, free of impairments and with due attention to what other traffic is doing around us. Keeping one’s distance from the car in front means that if he intends to stop sharply forcing you to slam into him, by keeping a safe distance you will frustrate his endeavours. The reason he wants you to slam into him is that he can claim for whiplash damages, even although he may not have such an injury.

Beware of other drivers signalling you to move into their lane. Normally, the other driver will drop back allowing you to go ahead. However, in the case of the intentional collision he will not slow down, and then claim it’s your fault and deny that he gave you any such signal.

Other scams, such as asking a friend to take your car and dump it so that you can claim for a stolen car, is beyond the scope of members of the public to stop. Likewise, exaggerating the claim for things not lost is something none of the motoring public should do. Similarly, when applying be sure to complete the application truthfully and fully. Errors and omissions at that stage could lead to no coverage just when you need it most.

It is important to remember that there are organised gangs who wake up in the morning to go to work. Their job is working all manner of insurance scams, and they may ensnare you using two or more cars. It will be difficult at first to detect when you are surrounded by a gang, but keeping a keen eye out for behaviour that is not just bad driving, but driving to cause a deliberate accident will become clearer with experience.

Putting packages or handbags on the front passenger seat, or worse the rear seats is an invitation to “break my window and take my bag.” This form of highway robbery is on the increase as well. If it’s your handbag or briefcase and you really must place it on the front seat, then use the seat belt to secure it. The more obvious the better.

These are the realities of life today. It helps to anticipate what could happen so that you can be better prepared to deal with life on the roads today.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

They are Out to Get You

They are Waiting to Save You from.....Yourself!

Earlier we spoke of the warning that law enforcement would be concentrating more intensely this year on speeding. True to their word the Big Guns are out there. The part I don’t like is that it is more about raising revenue than law enforcement. The police are to be respected as enforcing the law, in my opinion, and to reduce their status to that of revenue officers lowers the overall respect for Law and Order generally, but I’m not in charge, so my opinion counts for nothing.

In the city of Valencia, many a driver has come to a shocking realisation along the Ronda Norte and Ronda Sud. We are reminded that the limit is 50 kph, the same as driving along any interior city road, however, very few people adhere to that limit.

Recently, apparently someone who has felt the sting of a fine for speeding along those routes was driving along so slowly that all the traffic was going around him. As I caught up with him I noticed my speedometer was reading 50 kph. Ah! Thought I. The problem is that this person is travelling at the legal speed limit.

Some times, the speed limit posted is a really good suggestion to keep drivers from injuring themselves. I’m being facetious, of course, because legal speed limits are always for that purpose. There is one stretch of road where you climb a small hill, and as you go over the top you are faced with a place where traffic might be crossing the road from the right. Many large trucks use that area, and if you were travelling at 100kph and an extra long truck was crossing you would not be able to stop in time.

The year 2009 was a bellweather year in that the number of people killed on Spanish roads fell below 2000. The truth is that if we all slow down that would help that number to fall even further. The number that we are hoping to beat on the low side is 1,897. We, acting as a group, can do that. We can make Spain’s roads the most safe in all of Europe.

Whether it’s a case of raising money or raising awareness it really is in our own interests to show respect to the speed camera, avoid the penalties and stay safe.

My best wishes to all my fellow drivers for a “Multa-Free” year. That would be just fine in my point of view.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

I Would-A if I Could-A

I Would have if I Could have

This story is only part fantasy. It is a story about being a hero if only I could have been. But, I didn’t get the chance to be, and that’s such a shame.

The story began on a perfectly normal day. I had driven my car into town and parked in a pay-park area in front of the car that was already there. I collected my things and got out of my car to buy a ticket from the parking machine. I put in the money and stepped back to retrieve the ticket. At that moment there was a commotion to my right that I detected from the corner of my eye. It was a man with a stick, and he was running towards me. I thought I was under attack, but before I could react he bounced off me and came to a halt a few metres away.

He threw his arms in the air, including the stick and he absolutely SCREAMED at the top of his voice: DIOS ME! NO! NO! NO! Everyone on the street froze. Two meter maids who were walking towards him went quickly up to him and asked: “What’s the matter?” He kept repeating : “No! No! No! It cannot be!” Again the ladies asked “What cannot be?” He replied that he had left a bag containing money on the bonnet of his car and someone had taken it.

Poor man. He had evidently had one of those Senior Moments. Reconstructing what had happened, it seems that he had got out of his car and placed the bag with money on the bonnet of his car, and then walked the twelve steps to the machine and bought a ticket for the car. He then placed the ticket on the inside, turned to the right and simply walked away without the bag. At some point he realised that he did not have it, and in spite of the fact that he needed a cane to walk, he had come running, hoping against hope that the bag would still have been there.

I had arrived and parked in front of him but there was no bag at that time. This is where my fantasy comes into the picture, together with a question: What would I have done had I come face to face with a bag of money that was just sitting out in public?

I have thought about this over and over again, but my first thought still prevails: I would have made certain that the money found its way back to its lawful owner. I would have taken the bag from the bonnet of the car and put it in my car. Then I would have simply sat to await his return. In the meantime I would have called the town police and asked that officers came to the scene.

If only that could have been the way it played out. If you could have witnessed that man’s agony you would have wanted to be the one to have been able to say, “Here it is! Calm yourself.” He was a mature man, and I have no idea how much was in his bag, but evidently he considered it an absolute disaster that he had lost it.

Of course he was given the advice to immediately report it to the police. My only hope is that in doing so he would have found that some person had made the trip to the police station to turn the money in.

What disturbs me most about this is that if he got his money back we would have celebrated that fact as a major event because we would expect that whomever found it would keep it.

Honesty really is the best policy. If that money was simply spent by the finder, that would have possibly been the end of it. A guilty conscience might have been the price. However, had the money been returned to its owner, that deed would have been a solid part of the finder’s reputation for the rest of his life. It would also be a matter of personal pride, and that would be Priceless!

That is something to think about so that we will be ready when fate makes it our turn to make the right decision.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

Police Humour

Things that make Smokey the Bear Laugh

Would it come as a surprise to you to know that the police have a sense of humour? You may find that hard to believe, especially when they are arresting you, reading you your rights, writing you a ticket, or worse, shooting at you or bashing in your head as part of riot control, but the fact is it is essential for them to be able to see the funny side of things. Some lose their sense of humour, and when that happens it usually ends badly for such officers.

I wondered what sorts of things make an officer fall about in laughter. I logged on to a website advertising funny police stories. What I found I thought was very interesting. I think I can share some of these:

A Royal Canadian Mounted Policeperson by the name of A.L. Lambie says that while working general duty he was called to the scene of an accident. A car had left the road and ended up in someone’s garden. The driver was still in the car and was having a hard time breathing. He couldn’t get out without help.

The officer gave assistance, but noticed a foul smell. Turns out that the driver was a high priced lawyer in a three-piece suit. He was on his way home suffering with the flu. He apparently felt the need to pass wind, but passed more than he expected, and lost control and ended up in the garden.

Policemen don’t particularly like high-priced lawyers who get the bad guys off, so to the police this was an A-class story. He says, “we laughed for days over that one.” I bet they did.

From the Houston Police department comes the story of a bad guy who walks up to the policeman and hands him a baggie of Coke. He said that he had just bought it from a guy down the road and he wanted the police to go arrest him for selling drugs. The truth was that this “model” citizen was a drug dealer himself trying to get rid of the competition. The police got rid of them both. Some stories are so funny you couldn’t make them up.

This one is funny and has involved apparently several people in separate situations. It’s about the cruise control function on cars. The police in California had one case where the van was owned and driven by an Asian man. He engaged the cruise control in his camper van and got up to get a drink from the fridge. With no-one at the driving wheel the van went off the road and crashed. Duh! The same thing happened in all the cases.

There is a big difference between automatic pilot and cruise control. Between sobbing with laughter the police were just amazed these people actually held driving permits.

The police nabbed three guys as suspects in an armed robbery. They got a positive identification from the victim who said they stole his watch and $15 in cash. An officer asked, “O.K: which one of you guys stole this man’s Rolex watch? One of the guys pipes up with “Weren’t no damn Rolex. It’s a Seiko! And then he took it off his wrist and said “See!”

If only police work could always be this easy.

To the men and women who police our neighbourhoods and streets, “Stay safe, and Keep smiling!”


Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

The Funny Side of Driving

Keep Smiling!

I have been writing about driving matters for well over five years, and it has now occurred to me that I have never focused on the lighter side. Is there a lighter side? Absolutely! People are people and we have the capacity to see the funny side of everything, including driving. The things we say when we are in a bit of trouble, and the things we say to our insurance companies can be terribly funny.

I worked in the insurance industry for over twenty-five years, and although I never dealt with motor claims the funnier claims do somehow get shared. In fact, simply Google “funny driving stories” and you will probably be amazed by the number of entries.

For instance, in answer to the question “Could either driver have done anything differently to have avoided the accident?” The answer given was “We could have taken the bus!”

A car collided with a cow. Question “What warning was given by you?” Answer. Horn. “And the other party?” “Moo!”

“Sorry officer. I didn’t think the speed limit applied after midnight.”

“The car in front hit the pedestrian, but he got up, so I hit him again.”

The policeman pulled over the tourist on his bike. “Sir, your wife fell off your bike about ten minutes ago!” “Oh, Thank God for that. I thought I’d gone deaf!”

Magistrate to defendant: “It was the only car on the street and you hit it. Why?”

“I was trying to kill a fly when I drove into the telephone pole.”

“Coming home I drove into the wrong house and hit a tree I don’t have.”

“I thought my window was down until I spat through it.”

“The pedestrian ran for the sidewalk, but I got him.”

Humour is everywhere, even when you least expect it. I will do this again soon. Meanwhile, keep smiling and let’s try not to meet by accident!

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

A Fine for Speeding

Speeding is not good!

“You are charged with travelling at 85 kilometres per hour in a 50 kilometre zone. How do you plead?”

“Guilty, Your Honour.”

“Very well. I will take a moment to review your prior offences history, if any.”

The thing about this is that probably every driver that ever lived has committed this offence. In fact when the police want to catch a lot of speeders they set up the radar where speed is reduced because drivers are very bad about adhering to slow-down zones.

Part of the fault lies in the road administration in the way that signs are placed. There is one stretch where you are leaving a town and a speed limit of 50. You come upon a sign that says 80 is the limit from here. Just as you get your speed up to 80 there’s a sign saying 50. You would have to brake very hard to be in compliance.

It is very commonplace to come upon a series of signs that require the driver to reduce his speed from 120 down to 40. The law says that as you pass each sign your speed may not be more than that stated on the sign. Again, it is just about impossible to achieve what they want without emergency braking.

Those elements apart, Spain’s drivers just don’t have the discipline that German and Dutch drivers posses. Those drivers are always anticipating they will have to slow down and they are very good about observing the rules without question. (Sometimes.)

Should you be unfortunate to be ticketed for speeding you will have to pay a fine. Apart from being a punishment a fine is also intended to teach the driver a lesson. So, let’s now return to the court case that is in session in St. Gallen, East Switzerland.

“The Court can see that you have a number of convictions for speeding and other driving offences. It would appear that you have not learned your lesson as yet. Under the circumstances this Court feels it must impose a fine that will get your attention. You are therefore fined euros 180,000.”

It is just as well that the court did not suspend his licence as he has five cars. He also has fourteen million dollars, so maybe a fine of this magnitude will get his attention. Maybe not!

Apart from the dialogue, which I have had to assume, this is a true story. The fine amounted to 5,142 euros per kilometre over the limit. That would certainly get my attention.

Copyright © Eugene Carmichael 2010

A Positive Start

The Goal? Far fewer of these in 2010!

These days there is so much bad news to digest that to actually have some really good news makes me very happy. The Spanish road authority has reported that for the first time in modern history, Spanish annual road deaths have fallen to below two thousand.

This is a story about a positive end to 2009 and a positive start to 2010. Perhaps this is not as exciting as news that cars are being sold at giveaway prices, (they aren’t) or that suddenly there are jobs for everybody, (I wish), but the fact that fewer than two thousand people lost their lives on the road in 2009 is a major plus. Far fewer children lost their fathers or mothers, and there were fewer sad stories to be added to the mountain of doom and gloom that already exists.

When we arrived in Spain in the year 2000, life ended on the roads for 4295 unlucky people. They were involved in 3678 crashes. It was also very easy to see why these things were happening. Driving habits were terrible! There were people in those days who seemed to treat driving as though it were a contest in the bullring. Also, the attitude to alcohol was appalling, especially given that people started early in the morning and included alcohol in their activities throughout the day, and that included driving.

For 1992 the statistics are that 5,035 people died in 4,209 crashes. Over the intervening period of seventeen years the statistics have shown a very significant decline. By 1998 the figures had fallen to 4,289 people declared dead from 3,618 crashes. Something was at work making drivers more conscious of their driving habits. Also, roads have been improved greatly leading to safer surfaces upon which to travel.

Enter the points system around 2003-2004 and the figures were dramatic. In 2003 there were nine more deaths than 2002, but in 2004 there were 518 fewer deaths from 407 fewer crashes. 2005 was the point at which Spain turned the corner. That year 3,332 deaths were recorded from 2,876 crashes. People might not have been afraid of dying themselves in a crash, but by now we were driving in defence of our licenses, if not our lives. We could see light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel, and it was daylight.

During 2008 driving had continued to improve to the extent that 2,181 people died in 1,929 crashes. There must have been great celebrations at the DGT who are the people who are leading the campaign that says “To Return is most Important.” 2009 broke the threshold of 2000 deaths, resulting in 1,897 deaths. That is such excellent news and hopefully suggests that the day will not be far off when we can expect single digit figures. (Why not?) By simply resolving not to drive while impaired will almost be certain to return you home safely.

It is very unfortunate that many fatal crashes claim the lives of more than one person. That means many people who die are innocent of any wrongdoing. But, it also means that one reason for the declining rate is that many of the truly reckless are now simply bricks in the cemetery wall.

Nowhere is it written that if you use the roads you absolutely must die on them. Good luck and stay safe!

Congratulations to my fellow drivers! Keep up the good work.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

A Driver's New Year Resolutions

Happy Driving in 2010!

New Year’s Resolutions are fun. We make all sorts of promises to ourselves in good faith, knowing that we really should keep our word, but equally knowing that by the end of January things will be back to normal. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained. So, fellow drivers, please join with me in making some promises to ourselves and to each other that may help to ensure that we get to this point again in 2010.

We promise to drive responsibly and with care for the benefit of ourselves and to others.
We will not drive after consuming alcohol or drugs that may impair our abilities.
We will focus our attention on the matter of driving with due care and attention.
We will drive with discipline and courtesy to other road users.
We will be constantly on alert as to what may happen so that we may be prepared to meet the challenge.
We will observe the speed limits as they are generally well thought out.
We will moderate our speed to suit road conditions.

With those promises in mind 2010 could very well be a good year for driving. Best of good luck to each and everyone in this brand New Year.

Copyright © 2010 Eugene Carmichael

A Chinese Volvo ?

Not Good News!






The news this week is all about the fact that Volvo's owners, Ford are in a deal to sell Volvo to a Chinese group. Volvo, one of Sweden's proudest exports was bought by Ford for about six billion dollars a few years ago, and now Ford is selling the company at a monumental loss to the Chinese.



I own a Volvo, and I regard the mark as one of the very best cars on the planet. I also own a Hammel scooter that I regard as one of the worst made products to have come out of China. It just falls apart as you ride it as it is supposed to be ridden. Consequently it sits in my garage gathering dust, unsafe at any speed, in my opinion. I am afraid to sell it as I would be simply passing along the problem to someone else.



So, what I would really like as a Christmas present is that the company reverts to its original owners and remains that way. Sweden does some things really well. Making cars is one of them. Their motto is "Volvo for Life" If only it could be that way. I won't even consider purchasing another Volvo if the company is owned by the Chinese, and that is notwithstanding the fact that I do buy many things made in China.



Copyright (c) 2009 Eugene Carmichael

Season's Greetings!

Dear Readers,

At this festive time of year I want to take this opportunity to wish each and every one a safe Christmas, full of love, peace, hope and understanding.



Happy Holidays to Everyone around the World!





Eugene Carmichael

Give me a Sign

Where am I?


When driving through city streets we experience signage overload. If we are looking for McDonalds, or Burger King, we can spot their signs from a block away. The same is the case for Mercodona, Consum, or Carrefour. No problem in finding them.

Telepizza is easy to find, as is Dominoes’ Pizza. Media Market just jumps right out into your face. El Corte Ingles’ is the big boy that you couldn’t miss, even if you wanted to. In fact, most shops are well signposted. My problem is with the street names. They are all posted on postage stamp-sized signs with lettering as fine as the small print in contracts.

So what’s wrong with this picture? We need to know firstly what street this is, and we need to be able to see the sign and to be able to read it.

Please, City Hall, help us!

Copyright © 2009 Eugene Carmichael

Expect the Unexpected – Always!

"A little Care will get you There!"

As many people will know, I am recuperating from a crash on my motorcycle. It happened because in spite of my dedication to the principle of anticipation, a lapse occurred and I failed to anticipate and that was my undoing.

Anticipation in motoring is simply the rule that if we can anticipate that something might happen we can prepare for it should it happen, to the best of our abilities.

A problem can occur as a result of travelling the same route every day, and we grow complacent. Nothing ever changes and we feel we know all there is to know. In my case I had turned into that particular one-way road system a brazillian times and the path was always clear. Everybody in the town knows that the direction of travel is going in. But, on the fateful day a man was visiting the town from Madrid and he turned his car into that roadway and drove counter to the correct direction, and that surprised me so much I over-compensated by braking very hard, and down went the bike.

We did not collide, (but came very close) and there is no damage to the bike as it fell on top of me. However, my left leg became trapped in just the right way for it to break.

This is about always expecting the unexpected. I have been thinking along these lines and amazingly as I do so I am seeing things happening that have not had any impact on me before, but these things do occur.

You are driving the correct direction along a one-way street when suddenly a vehicle approaches travelling in the wrong direction. What do you do? Firstly, you should assume this will happen, so you should situate your car to the right hand side as much as possible. That way, if there is room for the two vehicles to pass you will already be on the correct side.
You approach a junction with one-way cross traffic. You see the “No-Entry” sign that also indicates the direction from which traffic will be coming. Do you ignore the opposite side because there will not be traffic coming from that direction? The answer is it will be dangerous to assume that. Look both ways to be safe.
How safe is it to cut corners? It is never safe, especially if you can’t see that there is anything coming. This sounds rudimentary, but it is surprising how many people seem to think they are on the road alone.
Is reversing into the road an approved traffic manoeuvre? Sometimes it can’t be helped, but it is certainly not recommended. The risk of collision must surely be ten times greater when doing such a thing. If you have a passenger get that person to act as another pair of eyes for you.
Is it usually safe to speed on country roads that are deserted? Such roads present unexpected dangers such as slow moving farm equipment and animals on the loose. Consequentially, it is better to leave the speed to the motorway.
I noticed a man drive into a one-way street and promptly park his car in a legal space. When he came back to his car, instead on carrying on down the legal direction he turned around and drove out the way he came in. This was not someone who was confused. This was a deliberate and lazy act. Had a vehicle been in the act of turning into that street we would have had a repeat of my incident. The only thing you can do to protect yourself from such lunatics is to use more caution and expect that it may happen.

It should also be noted that the most dangerous spots on the road are those close to your own home. When you first get in the car it takes a little while to put on your driver's head, and when coming home we tend to relax in sight of our destination. Stay vigilant!

Perhaps I have made the point by now that out on the roadways and highways all sorts of things happen that shouldn’t. One out of two drivers are potentially a menace. If I’m not the one, then it must be you.

Copyright © 2009 Eugene Carmichael

Spanish Drivers, Italian Killers?

Driving can be Hazardous to your Health

I live in Spain and have generally focused all my attention on driving and surviving on Spanish roads. We have lived here for ten years and have charted the experience over that period of time. When we first arrived I was absolutely horrified. Driving habits were off the chart, in so far as attitudes were concerned, however, a combination of determination on the part of the authorities to correct the savage aspect, and just plain driver education have turned things around.

Statistics that I have to hand reveal that in 2001 there were 5,517 funerals for family members who met their deaths on Spanish roads. In France the figure was 8,162, and in Italy it was 7,096. As is the norm in statistics, we would go on to consider the percentage of population. In the United States the latest figure is about 44,000 motor related deaths on the roads. I don’t care about percentages. To me, one death on the road is one far too many. When we receive our driver’s permit, no-one warns us that when we go out to buy a loaf of bread we may die.

It simply does not have to be like that. If you are a soldier and you go on patrol to find the enemy, there will be a very high probability that he may find you first, and if he does he will kill you. This is called warfare. Going out to the supermarket is not (supposed to be) a combative experience.

Driving through the various European countries brings various levels of risk, depending on the country. I suggest that you might like to read the various contributions on the Internet about driving in Italy before you go there. I have done that with the conclusion that I rule out Italy as a place to visit, or at least not to drive on their roads. One writer describes Italians as not so much drivers as killers with wheels. Regarding attitudes, expressions regularly appear such as, “don’t give a hoot for safety;” “drive like lunatics;” “pay scant regard to pedestrian crossings;” “mow down pedestrians;” “road signage is not helpful;” “overtaking as a death wish.”

Italian motorists drive much too fast, as do drivers in other parts of Europe. Speeding is probably the number one cause of so much death on the road, especially when coupled to inattention and drunkenness. I was told when I first came here to Spain that if these offences disappeared in Spain, then we would not be in Spain. However, the Spanish driver is finally getting the message and it is beginning to show on the road. In 2007 we had to attend only 3,823 funerals for this reason. It’s fair to say that France also attended 3,542 fewer funerals, there being only being 4,620. In 2001 there were 8,162 such funerals. Italy was also a country with a lower death rate. 1965 fewer people lost their lives than in 2001, with 5,131 having made space on the roads.

What is the difference that can make such a change? I am now seventy, so I’m old enough to know better. Consequently, when I’m in a bar I will order a beer without alcohol, or other soft drink. “I sometimes say that I’m driving, and once in a while the bartender will say, “Don’t blame you.” It’s amazing how just that little bit of encouragement means so much to me.

Incidentally, here’s a little bit of trivia: Most bartenders don’t drink alcohol.

I have started to hear other people say “No thanks, I’m driving.” Instead of being ridiculed we generally get support, or silence, which is the same thing.

Considering that so many people die on the roads there should be a great outcry and a major push for reform. But no, nothing much on an organised level happens. It could be that what is really going on in the road is a natural form of people culling. We have had major world wars in the past that have culled the species. The truth is that when people die they do leave space for others. There are people who scan the obituary columns for deaths when they are seeking a job or an apartment.

When people die they leave their possessions to others, sometimes their very body parts, so this is not all bad news. Sometimes the news is mixed to even the families who have been left behind. First comes the grief and shock of the loss, then that is followed by the reluctant joy. Who will get the house, who gets the car; and how to split up the savings account? These are the realities that we might want to call the plus side of premature death.

There is another more sinister side to all this carnage on the roads that receives very little reportage, and that is of the injuries. There are hidden stories here that are far worse than those who simply die and are buried. That story is done, but the injured, some injured for life, can present problems infinitely more difficult. People who are confined to wheelchairs, or their beds; who require 24-hour care; people whose lives are devoid of quality, all because of something that happened on the street.

If you are one of the people who are making an effort toward lowering the body count while driving, I think you are on the right track and that you should even re-double your efforts. It is possible to reach a point of no-one dying while driving. At least that should be the objective.

Copyright © 2009 Eugene Carmichael

Towed!

When luck runs out!

It has cost me 139 euros and forty-four centimos, plus taxi fare for me to bring you this report.

You have no doubt noticed the gruas, (town hall tow trucks) from time to time picking up cars and bikes that are illegally parked and carting them off. In Valencia double parking is not legal. No matter what people tell you, and regardless of how many people do this, parking alongside a line of cars is not a good thing to do. Normally you would leave the handbrake off, or you would come running when you hear the other driver blowing his horn, but this does not make it legal. It simply makes the practise acceptable among drivers.

In Spain this is the custom and no-one is expected to get angry. This time it’s your turn to have to wait a minute while the other driver comes running. Next time you are the one to slightly inconvenience someone. It all works out, except in the eyes of the City. They employ officers to roam around on their motorcycles to spot the offenders and they call in the tow trucks that pick up your vehicle and leave a sticker on the ground where your car was.

Then you take a taxi to the impound centre where you pay your 91 euros fine plus tow charges of 48.44 euros, and you get your car back. The drivers are careful with your vehicle and usually carry out the tow without damage to your property. It will be an unwelcome bill but you have done wrong. The objective of the City is to keep the roads clear, so, if you have ever doubled-parked and got away with it, count your lucky stars.

However, you should know that one day your luck will run out and on that day you will pay. Incidentally, should you leave your car in the lock-up more than 24 hours you start to run up daily parking fees of 17.43. That is slightly cheaper than parking in a private parking garage.

Copyright © 2009 Eugene Carmichael

The Odd Ball

This is about driving a right-hand drive car on the right side of the road.

Several years ago an incident occurred that will likely never be completely forgotten. Traffic along the N-332 in the area of Torrevieja had come to a complete stop in the northbound direction. Southbound traffic was flowing freely. In among the stopped traffic was a right-hand drive car. For reasons known only to the driver he suddenly pulled out into the lane of opposing traffic, even although he could not see whether anything was coming. The following chain events occurred as a result of this reckless action:

He pulled into the path of a charter bus carrying 49 school children.
His wife, who was sitting in the left seat, was killed instantly from the impact.
A friend who was visiting them from the U.K. who was sitting in the rear was killed instantly also.
The bus lost control and veered left, pushing the car ahead of it. They crashed into another car that was stopped. The driver and his pregnant girlfriend occupied that car.
That driver was killed and the three vehicles went over a thirty- foot embankment with the bus falling on top of the other two cars.
The girlfriend was trapped in the wreckage.
On board the bus several of the children were injured, as was the driver.
One of the children’s injuries were so severe that she had to be air-lifted to the nearest trauma hospital, as was the girlfriend when she was freed from the mess. The only good news in all this was that the pregnant lady eventually delivered her full-term baby. The baby was named “Miracle.”

There was much speculation that the original driver must have been drunk. His family were fierce in defending him, saying that he never touched alcohol. So, that was not his excuse.

I was very angry over that incident. Such a disaster caused through one senseless action on the part of one person. The driver was critically and permanently injured, and it seems that someone made the decision that there was nothing more that the law could do to him that he hadn’t already done to himself. He doesn’t seem to have been charged with the matter.

I recall being super-critical about drivers of right-hand drive vehicles here on the Continent, or people who take their cars into Britain. I reasoned that if you must drive such a car that makes you the Odd Ball, then you must always exercise a very high degree of care and caution. Now, I am the owner of a Jaguar Sovereign right-hand drive car.

This is not the smartest thing that I’ve done. However, at my age I might never have an opportunity to do such a dopey thing again. The car is fourteen years old, and because it was used as a car to transport VIPs, its condition is similar to having just come out of the showroom. It drives like a dream, so in reality I am not regretting the purchase. The problem is getting used to driving a car that puts the driver on the curb-side rather than on the middle of the road.
I assumed that I might have had some difficulty handling the car, but it has come to me quite naturally. There are some things that present problems that will take some time to become comfortable with. The main problems arise when I encounter ticket machines at toll-booths and in parking zones. If I don’t have a passenger I have to get out and run round to the machine and run back into the car, all of which drives the people behind me bonkers.

When driving along two-way traffic lanes, and I come upon a slow-moving vehicle, such as a tractor, I am presented with an extremely dangerous situation. Before overtaking I have to make very certain that the other lane is clear, and if I cannot absolutely be sure, then I have to stay with the tractor and move along at 10 kilometres an hour. I am determined not to make the same mistake as the driver referenced above.

Finally, I do not have the luxury of most drivers who can relax a little to daydream of pleasant things as they drive along. I must be aware at all times where I must position my car. I cannot let the car drift too far towards the centre line, especially when on corners. The strain of always being so aware is draining, but the car is an engineering delight and I do feel special in it.

I add my congratulations to Jaguar for such a fine product. I always have to remember that it was they who built it, not me. I simply get to drive it.

Copyright © 2009 Eugene Carmichael